Having worked in finance, I am accustomed to balancing accounts, scrutinizing invoices and itemized billings, double-checking discounts, finance charges, etc.. so, so different from medical billings. Sigh… I simply do not understand why it is so difficult for providers and insurance companies to speak the same language!
Actually, my insurance company, BCBS, has been wonderful, quick to process claims and send me the EOBs (Explanation of Benefits) for each. Yet, some of these EOBs are not uniform in their structure, making me dig a little to find the corresponding invoice. Sorting through bills, scanning, posting and filing in my special “Breast Cancer” satchel has been what I have dealt with all day today. I am tired! But, the good news is that I am quite confident to be ahead of the game with my medical bills, at least to this phase of my journey, I still have the 2nd and 3rd phases of reconstruction months from now. Those procedures should be less overwhelming with the billings, and costs, since I will only be dealing with one surgeon and surgery will be much less than five hours!
What a day!
Cancer Isn't Pink 
This makes me realise how lucky we are in the UK to have the NHS service. Unless patients choose to go private, treatment is free.
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Yes! I had raised my sons in Canada and lived there until my husband died back in ’87, socialized medicine was a god-send! If it weren’t for OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) and had we been living in the good ol’ USA, I’d have gone bankrupt with medical bills and God only knows how I might have raised our three young sons.
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I am not an accountant but like you, I work in finance/accounting. And I am reasonably intelligent. But claims and benefits and health-speak makes me feel STOOPID. I wonder if they do that on purpose.
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Hahaha, I think so, Julia, I definitely think so! 🙂
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